In the framework of its project Ask the Doctor, the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation continues to inform viewers about the prevention and treatment of the coronavirus. Experts of the program’s live broadcasts, the country’s leading trusted healthcare professionals, answer questions from viewers and talk about the latest discoveries and trends in the fight against the pandemic. The guest of the 41st broadcast was Yevheniia Menzhulina, an infectious disease doctor, department head at the inpatient medical centre of the State Emergency Service.

The doctor explained how to get vaccinated against COVID-19 without harm to your health.

‘People with chronic diseases should stay under doctoral monitoring for three days after being vaccinated against the coronavirus. And if it is a patient from the risk category, he or she should be “under a watchful eye” of a doctor for up to a week and should undergo daily health checks,’ said Ms Menzhulina.

Asked whether it is possible for women to get vaccinated during pregnancy, the expert said that it is better to postpone vaccination against the coronavirus.

‘Each pregnancy is a different case: how well a mother feels and whether there are no complications, whether everything is fine with a baby. If there are no contraindications in terms of gynaecology, but there is a high risk in case of contracting the coronavirus, then a decision to go for vaccination can be made. However in most cases it is better to do it after childbirth,’ said the infectious disease specialist.

Yevheniia Menzhulina reminded that there are cases when the use of a large number of heavy drugs can harm the vaccination process and the development of immunity. That is why she advised people with chronic diseases to consult their physician before being vaccinated against COVID-19.

During the entire lifespan of the project Ask the Doctor, its coverage on the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation’s digital platforms amounted to 15 million viewers. Earlier, the experts of the program’s life broadcasts were Borys Todurov, a famous cardiac surgeon; Kateryna Amosova, a cardiologist, an associate member of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, a member of the European Society of Cardiology; Yevhen Komarovskyi, a famous paediatrician of the country; Serhiy Komisarenko, a biochemist and researcher; Oleksandr Zaika, an immunologist of the Public Health Centre of the Ministry of Health; Oleh Chaban, a psychiatrist, a Doctor of Medical Sciences, a professor; Serhiy Dubrov, the President of the Association of Anaesthesiologists of Ukraine, and other experts.

Recordings of the program’s broadcasts featuring experienced healthcare experts are available for watching on the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation’s page in Facebook and on its YouTube account.